Sparkling earrings, body jewelry, body modification or a cool motif under the skin? Tattoos and Piercings are highly popular among teenagers and adults! And the question of whether it’s allowed is one of the top 10 topics of contention among children and parents. But at what age is piercing and tattooing really allowed?? The short answer: It depends. The detailed answer can be found here.
Piercing or tattooing: What is the minimum age?
From a purely legal point of view no age limit for tattoos and piercings. If you are under 18 and get a tattoo or piercing without the permission of your parents, you risk getting into trouble at home. In this case, however, the person with the needle still has the bigger problem. The tattoo artist carries the Responsibility. He may be liable to prosecution if he tattoos a child.
The situation is different, for example, with the probably most harmless body jewelry: Earrings. A big topic of contention among parents, where the question arises whether a child is unnecessarily injured so that he or she can wear cute ear studs. There are countless discussions on the Internet about whether a child should get pierced ears at a young age or wait so that the child can decide for itself.
Tip: No matter what kind of piercing you want to have, you should always look into a reputable studio go. These days, even some hair salons offer ear piercings. Sure, they’re cheaper than in a studio, but beware: these ear studs are shot into your ear with an ear piercing gun. That destroys more tissue than a needle used in professional studios and can lead to bad Wounds and inflammations lead, especially in the cartilage area (z. B. top of the ear)..
Tattooing is bodily injury
As weird as it sounds – tattoos and piercings are considered to be wanton bodily harm. Because if someone stabs you in the skin with a needle, the skin will be injured. No matter if it is a tongue piercing, an earring or an intimate piercing. Bodily injury is generally only not punishable if the person has their Consent gives. Whether you can decide this on your own as a teenager, however, does not depend on your age. Here counts the mental maturity. You must be aware that a tattoo will be under your skin for a lifetime. This is a potentially everlasting decision that children should not make. Therefore, many tattoo studios also have a minimum age of 18 years.
What does the duty to inform in the studio?
Your tattoo artist or piercer must first thoroughly explain everything to you advise and answer all your questions before it goes on your body. He must also explain to you which possible risks may occur before being allowed to get a tattoo or piercing. Consequences are, for example, that the wound can cause inflammation. Or you may get an allergic reaction to the jewelry or tattoo ink. Or that you have to take good care of a tattoo, especially in the beginning, so that the color does not fade – and that it can be expensive if you want to have your tattoo removed again. If the studio does not Duty to explain not fulfilled, you can demand as a customer possibly pain money or damages.
It doesn’t matter how old you are. What counts is how much you check.
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If you go alone to the tattoo or piercing studio as a young teenager, the person with the needle should check how fit in the head you are. The tattoo artist must explain everything to you in detail. And you need to understand it. Piercers must also play it safe before piercing: Do you really understand what you are doing? Do you know what the aftercare looks like?
Can you assess the risks of tattooing (z. B. Inflammations or allergies)? What about professional disadvantages From? For many companies this is no longer an issue. But note that some companies require a neutral appearance of their employees. Particularly conspicuous jewelry on the body is not always welcome. Whether visible on the eyebrow or on the earlobe, hidden by the hair. Even a hidden tongue or belly button piercing can become a problem. And also your new tattoo may be just certainly totally in the trend lie. If your boss is against it, you could be in trouble. Or not getting a job you want in the first place.
A tattoo remains a lifetime. Maybe you will not like the motif at some point. What about in twenty or thirty years?? Do you think you’ll still like the cute butterfly on your arm then?? If yes: great! If no: think better again about your decision after.
Do you know how much it can cost to have a tattoo removed again? And do you realize how painful that is?? Whether a person who does not know you, can assess this? Questionable. To be on the safe side, a professional tattoo artist so the Consent of your parents demand. Consent can be in the form of a written consent form, for example. Parents must complete and sign this for their child. Or better yet, wait until you’re really ready to do it and can consider all factors.
Trouble gets in doubt the person with the needle
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The tattoo artist or piercer has said that’s fine? Good for you, but pretty stupid of him. Anyone who agrees to tattoo or pierce you without a parent’s signature is taking a pretty big risk high risk a. Even more so if something goes wrong with the piercing. Because what happens if you as a minor teenager could not have decided alone and your parents were against it? Then your signature is invalid and so is your consent. And without consent we are back to the topic of bodily harm. And that is punishable.
How do piercing and tattoo studios handle the legal situation?
The legal regulation is unfortunately not quite clear, as you can see. In reality, therefore, the following has prevailed: Small piercings make many studios from 14 in the presence of parents, from 16 is usually enough a signature of parents. Larger things like flesh tunnels (widened ear holes), intimate piercings or brandings are only available from 18 or even 21. And tattoos in principle only from 18. Or from 16 with the consent of parents.
Your Parents are against it, but you absolutely want to pierce a piercing or get a tattoo? don’t worry, sometimes it’s not wrong to wait first. So you can save the next years in peace the money and you exactly inform. Think about it: In which place do you want to wear permanent body jewelry? And which motif should remain on your body for the rest of your life?? A certain waiting period has already saved one or the other from youthful sins. Make a conscious decision for a tattoo artist you trust before you get your first tattoo – Isn’t that a good idea??